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Wednesday, October 10, 2001

Fall Fair events a success, Chamber told by officials

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 10, 2001 -- Exact figures are not in, but the 2001 Reeves
County Fall Fair was deemed a success, with a number of local and out
of town people on hand to enjoy this past weekend's events.

"Exact figures are not available, but we do know that we had a good crowd
and it was a huge success," said Catherine Travland, during the regular Chamber
of Commerce Board meeting held Tuesday at noon.

Travland told the group that prizes were awarded to the winning entries
and red, white and blue ribbons handed out. "We want to thank everyone that
helped this year's Fall Fair be a success," she said.

Reeves County Extension Agent Terry Holder reported on the stock show
held in conjunction with the fall fair. "It was pretty good, we didn't have
as many entries as last year, but it was still really nice," he said.

There were 33 lambs entered in the event, five steers and three heifers.
"There was just a stock show in Dallas that a lot of individuals went to
and also we didn't get membership for TCLA, which is why the numbers were
down," said Holder.

"Everyone had a good time, though," he said.

Women's Division President Laura Briggs reported that the Pretty Baby
Contest sponsored by that group also was a success. "We had over 45 entries
and it went really well," she said.

Entry fees from the contest will cover the donation the women made to
the fire department recently.

"We usually have a dinner for the fire department personnel, but this
year I attended their meeting and asked if there was anything else we could
do for them," said Briggs. "It's kind of hard to get their families together
for a meeting, when they have other activities with their children, so we
though it would be nice to ask them what we could do for them."

Briggs said that the fire personnel had asked for some help in their recent
drive they had. "They were raising funds for the widows of firemen and the
firemen in New York City," killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, she said.

Briggs said that the Women's Division provided the food for the personnel
who were out collecting funds that day. "The women baked cookies and we went
to Burrito Depot, who donated a lot of burritos to them and we provided all
the drinks for them," she said.

In addition, the 2001 Golden Girl Desirae Tercero, along with other fire
personnel had a booth in front of Wal-Mart taking donations on that Saturday.

"We also voted at the last meeting to donate $300 to them and Wal-Mart
has agreed to match that," said Briggs.

Briggs said that some of the funds from the Pretty Baby Contest would
also be used to help fix up the Pecos High School Auditorium. "We want to
go back to the high school and help fix up the stage, because we do use it
every year for the Golden Girl Pageant," said Briggs.

She told chamber members that the group would be catering a luncheon for
the Emergency Medical Service personnel during their next meeting. "Since
we haven't done anything for them this year, we will be catering their next
meeting," said Briggs. "We just want to show them that we appreciate them
as well and pamper them a little."

The Women's Division will also sponsor the annual Halloween Parade. "We
don't know what date that will be, it will be on the same day that the city
schedules trick-or-treating," she said. Halloween falls on a Wednesday this
year.

Under old business, chamber director Tom Rivera told the group that a
copy of the audit that was recently done on chamber finances is available
to all board members.

"I know some of the board members haven't seen it yet, but we have a copy
for them at the office," he said.

Rivera said that all the items pointed out in the audit have already been
taken care or are in the process of being taken care of. "Office manager,
Lupe Davis, has been working really hard on this."

Board member Richard Creasy suggested that they make sure every member
get a copy of the audit and hold a special meeting to discuss this. "We don't
just want to throw it out here and forget about it," he said.

A vote of hands failed, and members were asked to stand up, and during
a recount the motion again failed.

"I supported it because I felt we should have a separate meeting and discuss
that and get it out of these meetings, so that we can discuss the items on
the agenda during this meeting," said Briggs. "Maybe during these meetings
we can just stick to the agenda."

Sitting in for the board president, Angela Romero, said that they would
take it to the executive board and as an executive board decide what to do.

"But anything you decide during the executive board meeting has to be
approved by this board," said Creasy. "We can't even get half of these people
(board members) to show up."

Rivera handed out a copy of the bed tax contract the group has with the
Town of Pecos City and said that everything in the contract has remained
the same for the upcoming year.

Tejano star Torres to appear in P-B-T anti-drug program

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 10, 2001 -- This year's Pecos-Barstow Toyah District Drug
Free Rally will be a little bit different, but will provide something
for all age groups.

Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Counselors were on hand for the regular monthly
school board meeting to introduce their proposal to board members. The group
also provided a video on their proposal.

"This year we have a totally different idea for the drug-free rally,"
said counselor Virginia Caballero, while counselor Rosie Salcido said that
even though the past drug-free rallies have been a huge success, the counselors
thought about a new idea.

"We want to target the secondary students," said Salcido. "The little
ones really enjoyed the pep rallies and seeing us at the football field,
but the secondary students seemed to be a little bit bored and we want to
target them a little bit more this year."

The counselors introduced their new project, "The Patsy Torres Positive
Force Tour," featuring the Tejano music entertainer.

"This way the younger ones can enjoy the music and the older ones can
listen to the message," said Salcido.

Patsy Torres is one of the most important and influential Tejano singers.
She has performed for live audiences of more than 100,000 people, and appeared
and performed on national television for millions of viewers, and traveled
all over the world winning numerous awards for her musical talents and community
works.

Torres has graced the covers of national magazines, and Billboard magazine
proclaimed her as one of the "Top Female Tejano Stars," while Vista Magazine
selected her to represent "What's Hot in Texas." Latin Style magazine describes
Torres as "El Sonido del Futuro" _ the sound of the future.

With a degree in science, Torres is a strong advocate for "Stay in School"
partnerships, anti-drug campaigns and student issues and found that her celebrity
status gave her a privileged credibility with young people.

At her many speaking engagements, she told students that she felt her
greatest accomplishment was getting a college education while flourishing
in a career of show business with her morals intact.

San Antonio officials and local businesses supported Torres when she came
up with a specialized musical show targeting teen problems and issues. The
success of "The Positive Force Tour," has earned her San Antonio's coveted
"Hidalgo Humanitarian Award."

This "musical drama" incorporates singing, dancing, skits, interaction
dialogue, and testimonials along with state of the art special effects, lighting
and costuming.

Emphasizing the importance of education, self-esteem, and setting personal
goals, the show has been presented to thousands of school children while
on tour throughout Texas, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and Kansas. It is now
expanding to other states.

Salcido told the group that two-thirds of the funding for the show will
come from outside the school district.

"It will cost $3,000, but we have applied for a mini-grant that will cover
$2,000 of it," said Caballero. "The other $1,000, will be funded by the district,
with $500 coming from the funding of the counselors."

Each of the counselors at the school will provide $100 from their budget
and the rest will come from Gome Olibas, PBT-ISD assistant superintendent.

"This was also presented to the district executive committee who supported
it also," said superintendent Don Love.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Pecos High School
new gym.

"This year we will divide the students," said Salcido.

Students in kindergarten through sixth grades will see the show from 9:30
a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Students in grades seventh through 12th
will see it from 1:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m.

"She will also talk to the students at the Lamar (alternative education)
school for 45 minutes," said Salcido. "The Lamar students are also invited
to the secondary show."

Salcido said that the local police department would be helping out also.
"The group will come in the day before and the police department will provide
the meals and lodging," she said.

Task force, police help with N.M. drug roundup

From Staff and Wire Reports
Twenty-two of 40 alleged members of a drug ring were arrested Tuesday
after an investigation that started three years ago, Hobbs Police Chief
Tony Knott said.

The undercover investigation involved Texas and New Mexico officers as
well as federal agents, Knott said Tuesday.

Officers from the Trans-Pecos Drug Task Force in Pecos assisted in the
investigation. Pecos police also provided assistance, according to the Hobbs
Police Department.

Commander Gary Richards said that the task force and Lea County have been
working together with an "exchange" program where agents from Lea County
come to Pecos and work undercover and agents from Pecos go to New Mexico
to work undercover as well.

"We've had agents over there working in New Mexico with Lea County for
three years," he said.

Richards said that local officers were asked to assist in approximately
10 cases pertaining to the drug ring investigation.

Those arrested Tuesday included 16 men and six women from Hobbs and Lovington,
according to a statement released by Knott's office.

Charges ranged from possessing marijuana to trafficking in cocaine or
distributing methamphetamine. Most were cocaine-related.

The operation will continue seeking the other 18 individuals named in
arrest warrants, he said.

Undercover purchases began in 1998, but that case was hampered by the
death of the lead agent due to heart problems unrelated to the case. The
case was re-initiated last year as Operation Narcissus with undercover purchases
of cocaine and methamphetamine from Arturo Chihuahua of Hobbs, some associates
and family members, Knott said in a news release.

State and federal arrest warrants naming 40 individuals were issued. They
were served starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Knott said.

Agencies involved in the operation included police from Hobbs, Roswell,
Tatum, Lovington, Eunice, Jal, the Lea County sheriff, Chaves County sheriff,
the U.S. attorney's office, Region VI Drug Task Force, Chaves County Metro
Narcotics and New Mexico State Police.

Also involved were the Kermit, Texas, police; U.S. Customs Service, Border
Patrol, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Drug Enforcement Administration
and the FBI, which was the lead agency, Knott said.

Richards said that he plans to continue working with Lea County and the
"exchange" program in the future.

They are a good source for man power," he said.

Council to discuss engineering pact for sewer project

PECOS, Wed., Oct. 10, 2001 -- The Town of Pecos City Council is scheduled
to discuss advertisement for engineering services request for qualifications
for sewer improvements project during the regular meeting at 7 a.m. Thursday
in council chambers at City Hall.

The council is also set to discuss approval of the Pecos Economic Development
Corporation budget.

They will also approve the second reading of the adoption of provision
affecting the Texas Municipal Retirement System credit service ordinance.

Also on the agenda are discussions of the juvenile court report, the accounts
payable and the minutes of previous meetings.

Cosmetology school will cut hair for Red Cross funds

The Cut-A-Thon will be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20,
at the OC Cosmetology Building located at the corner of University Boulevard
and Halley Avenue (across from the main campus at 201 W. University).

The fundraiser is in cooperation with local salons and no appointment
is necessary.

For more information, contact the OC cosmetology department at 335-6452.